Stabilizing fittings for playground swings and the like



Oct- 4, 1 B. SANDER ETAL 2,954,958

STABILIZING FITTINGS FOR PLAYGROUND SWINGS AND THE LIKE Filed July 11,1957 INVENTORS BENJAMIN SANDER AND WILMER E. EICKMEIER ATTORNEY.STAB'ILIZING FITTINGS FOR PIJAYGROUND SVVIN GS AND THE LIKE BenjaminSander, University City, and Wilmer E; Eickmeier, St. Louis, Mo.,assignors to Nixdorlf-Krein Mfg. 'Co., St. Louis, Mo., a corporation ofDelaware Filed July 11, 1957, Ser. No. 611,234

' 4 Claims. (Cl. 248-317) This invention relates in general to certainnew and useful improvements in playground apparatus and, moreparticularly, to stabilizing fittings for playground swings and thelike.

Most types ofv installations for childrens playgrounds, back yard playareas, and the like include some sort of swing. Such swings usuallyconsist of a horizontal bar -or tube suitably supported at its ends inany conventional manner so as to extend above the ground at someappropriate height. The bar or tube is provided with depending elementshaving horizontal pintles and swing hooks which rockably supportdepending chains and the usual seat-board attached to the lower endthereof. Frequently, the depending elements are bolted to the tube andrigidly secured in position by means of a nut. However, during use theoscillating motion of the swing sets up vibrations which tend to loosenthe depending elements and the nut associated therewith, causing suchdepending elements to twist the swing chains. Moreover, as the dependingelements twist, they become somewhat deformed and the fitting betweenthe depending elements and the bar or tube becomes worn to such a pointthat further tightening of the nut cannot adequately secure thedepending elements to the tube. In fact, it occasionally happens thatthe securing nut will work itself oil completely, whereupon the swingchain will drop, representing a serious hazard to children using theswing.

It is, therefore, one of the objects of the present invention to providestabilizing fittings for rockably supporting swing chains, whichfittings will remain snugly and nonrotatably in position on a horizontalbar or tube.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a fitting ofthe type stated which will not become loosened during normal use of theswing, and, therefore, permits safe and trouble-free operation of theswing.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a novel lockingwasher adapted for use with playground swings and which permits rigidsecurement of the depending swing-chain supporting elements to ahorizontal tube.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in thenovel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination ofparts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing- Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view ofa childs swing equipped with stabilizing fittings constructed inaccordance with and embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the swing and showingthe stabilizing fitting of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the lock washer forming part of thepresent invention;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5- -5 of Fig. 4; and

ice

- 2 Fig. 6 is a sectional view Fig. 5. v 1

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawing,which illustrates a preferred emtaken along line 6-6 of bodiment of thepresent invention, A designates a childs swing consisting of a hollowcylindrical horizontal top bar 1 drilled for reception of bolts 2, eachhaving a shank 3 which extends diametrally through the top bar 1. At oneend the shank 3 is provided with threads 4 for reception of a nut 5which is adapted to bear against the outside of the tube 1. At its lowerend, the shank 3 terminates in a somewhat triangular eye 6 having anarcuate substantially horizontal pintle portion 7 for rockablysupporting a swing book 8 including an upper eye portion 9 and a lowerhook portion 10. Snugly but rotatably seated in and extending throughthe eye portion 9 is a bushing 11 preferably formed of nylon or othersimilar plastic material. conventionally attached to the hook portions10 are swing chains 12, the lower ends of which are attached to ahorizontal seat-board 13.

Interposed between the eye portion 6 and the tube 1 is a thin lockwasher 14, the transverse contour of which is-substantially in the formof a circular arc hav ing a radius slightly less than that of thehorizontal tube 1. Somewhat centrally thereof, the washer 14 is punchedoutwardly to provide an aperture 15 and spaced parallel depending cars16, 17, and the four corners of the washer 14 are bent upwardly in theprovision of grip-forming prongs 18, 19, 20, 21. As seen by reference toFigs. 2 and 3, the cars 16, -17, are disposed snugly against the eyeportion 6 on either side thereof, and the prongs 18, 19, 20, 21, biteinto the outer surface of the tube 1.

In use, the shank 3 of the bolt 2 is passed through the aperture 15 sothat the ears "16, 17, seat snugly against the eye portion -6, whereuponthe shank 3 is pushed through the tube 1 so that its outer threaded end4 extends outwardly of the tube 1. The nut 5 is then threaded onto thethreaded end 4 and tightened down so as to draw the bolt 2, the lockwasher 14, and the tube 1 into tightly assembled relation. The dependingears 16, 17, will then engage the sides of the eye 6 and prevent thelatter from turning or twisting. Because the eye 6 cannot turn, the nut5 will not tend to become loose, but if, due to abnormal circumstancesthe nut 5 should become slightly loose or possibly may not have beenproperly tightened up during installation, the ears 16, 17, will stillprevent turning and further loosening of the nut 5. The fact that thelock washer 14 has the shape of a section of a cylinder prevents it fromturning once it is seated against the cylindrical top bar '1. Inaddition, as the lock washer 14 is pulled tightly against the bar 1, itscurvature will, if necessary, change slightly to conform to that of thetop bar 1, and the prongs 18, 19, 20, 21, will bite into and snugly gripthe outer surface of the top bar 1.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form,construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of thestabilizing fittings for playground swings and the like may be made andsubstituted for those herein shown and described without departing fromthe nature and principle of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a supporting bar, a bolt projecting therethrough,said bolt being provided on one end with an eye portion including anarcuate substantially horiears closely disposed about said eye portionfor -retaining said pintle in parallel relationship to the longitudinalaxis 7 of said supporting bar. I

2. In combination, a supporting bar, a bolt projecting therethrough,said .vbolt being provided on one end with an eye portion including anarcuate substantially Lhori said washer also having spaced dependingears 'clos'e'ly disposed about said eye portion for retaining saidpintl'e in parallel relationship to the longitudinal axis of saidsupporting bar, said lo'ckwash'er "being provided at its corners withmeans for tightly 'fgripping said supportingbar.

'3. In combination, an 'arcuate supporting bar, a bolt projectingtherethroug'h, said bolt being provided on one end with apintlei-formingportiondisposed outwardly of said supporting bar,securing means for attaching "the bolt 'to the supporting bar, a lockwasher'having an arcuate body the radius ofwhich is slightly 'less'thanthe radius of said supporting bar and "being provided with an aperturedefined 'by two opposing straight margins which are joined by twoopposing 'arcuate margins, a plurality of ears projecting outwardly"from said straight margins and securely confining saidpintl'eformingportion, "and a plurality *of fpron'gs projecting outwardly'from theotherjsideof 'sai'dbody so that when the securing means is tightened itwill draw the lock washer toward the supporting bar and 'cause "theprongs to 'bite intosaid supporting bar while at the sametime 4 aholding the pintle .in parallel relationship to =the longitudinal axisof said supporting bar.

' 4. 'In combination, an arcuate 'supportingbar, a'bolt projectingtherethrough, said bolt being provided on one end with a pintle-formingportion disposed outwardly of said supporting bar, securing means forattaching the bolt to the supporting bar, a-lock'iwasher having anarcuate body the radius of whichis slightly less than the radius of saidrsupportingiibariarftl Eheing zp'rovided wiith iaan aperture defined byfltw'o opposing "straightrnargins which are joined bytwo-opposingwarcuate margins,- said body having a eonvezosuffiace'andtaconcave surface, a plurality of .ears 19; ejecting :ioutwatdly from thei-straight margins of said aperture on said convex surface and definingapair of spaced parallel-"wallsabout lthe -"-pintle-forming portion, anda plurality .of p-rongs.;projecting outwardly from said concave side sothat when the securing means is tightened it will draw the lock washertoward said supporting bar and cause the prongs to bitewinto saidsupportingb'ar while atthesa'me"timehdlding the pintle.

in parallel relationship "to the longitudinal axis of said supportinba'r.

I "References cite'd' in theiffile of: this patent v UNITED STATESPATENTS "Murphy s Aug. 1, 1882 {409,766 Arnold Aug. 27, 1889 11,580,015Clark Apr. 6, 1926 2,189,811 White Apr. '23, 1 957 -tnonnron rnsnnmzs'62 GreatBi-itain Jan. ,"6, 1879 879,645- "Fra'nce Mar. '1, 1943

